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North Carolina Community College
System
College and Career Readiness
Adult Secondary Education
Content Standards
Level 5, Grade Levels 9.0 –
12.9
Prepared by: Dianne B. Barber
& Steven J. Schmidt
Adult Basic Skills Professional
Development Appalachian State University
Boone, NC
Prepared for: North Carolina Community
College System Department of College
and Career Readiness
September 2014
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Introduction This notebook contains
standards to help instructors
understand what adult secondary
students should know and be
able to do in the four
content areas of language arts,
math, science, and social studies.
Adult secondary students function
in grade level equivalents 9.0
to 12.9 and study in adult
high school diploma and high
school equivalency programs. These
standards should guide programs as
they create and align their
curricula.
Language Arts and Math Standards
The language arts and math
standards come from the College
and Career Readiness Standards for
Adult Education (CCR) which were
released by The Office of
Career, Technical, and Adult
Education (OCTAE) in April 2013.
The CCR Standards were
distilled from the Common Core
State Standards and reflect the
essential skills and knowledge that
adult students should have to
be prepared for postsecondary
education and training, work, and
citizenship. The CCR standards
recognize that adult learners need
a manageable set of standards
since adult learners usually attend
class less than 100 hours over
the course of a program year,
have some prior schooling, and
benefit from previous life
experiences.
Language arts encompass standards from
speaking and listening, reading,
writing, and language. Students
are expected to read increasingly
complex texts and gain the
ability to evaluate arguments while
understanding challenging works.
Writing standards guide students as
they learn to create arguments
and write informative, explanatory,
and narrative texts. Language
standards provide rules for written
and spoken English as well as
for acquiring new vocabulary.
The language arts and math
standards have both been divided
into four parts based on the
North Carolina Community College
System Career and College Readiness
Adult Secondary Education Credential
courses facilitated by Adult Basic
Skills Professional Development at
Appalachian State University. These
divisions are as follows, and
each course covers these topics:
Language Arts
ASE LA 1-‐Production and Distribution
of Writing: How to write
informative and narrative texts
ASE LA 2-‐Using Research in
Writing Endeavors: How to conduct
research, evaluate sources and create
argument based writing
ASE LA 3-‐Understanding and Analyzing
Literature: How to analyze and
understand literature including poetry
and prose
ASE LA 4-‐Understanding and Analyzing
Informational Texts: How to analyze
and understand informative texts
Math
ASE MA 1-‐Algebraic Concepts and
Expressions: How to understand and
solve radical expressions along with
performing operations on polynomial
and rational expressions
ASE MA 2-‐Algebraic Equations and
Inequalities: How to create,
represent, explain, and solve
algebraic equations and inequalities
ASE MA 3-‐Algebraic Functions and
Models: How to interpret and
evaluate functions and model
mathematical expressions in various
forms
ASE MA 4-‐Geometry, Probability, and
Statistics: How to interpret and
solve problems in geometry,
probability, and statistics
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Science and Social Studies Standards
As the College and Career
Readiness Standards for Adult
Education only cover math and
language arts, the science and
social studies standards are based
on the North Carolina Essential
Standards and the Next Generation
Science Standards. The Essential
Standards guide secondary instruction
for North Carolina high school
students and were developed by
the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction. These Essential
Standards were adopted to ensure
the most rigorous and relevant
standards to guide instruction for
21st Century students. The
Next Generation Science Standards
were developed by teams of
writers from 26 states. The
standards include the core ideas
science students should know, the
practices scientists engage in as
they work, and the crosscutting
concepts that link the different
domains of science.
The science and social studies
standards have both been divided
into four parts based on the
North Carolina Community College
System Career and College Readiness
Adult Secondary Education Credential
courses facilitated by Adult Basic
Skills Professional Development at
Appalachian State University. These
divisions are as follows:
Science
ASE SC 1-‐Living Organisms and
Ecosystems: How to understand various
life forms as they interact
with each other across the
Earth
ASE SC 2-‐Genetics, Molecular Biology,
and Evolution: How genetic material
and molecules function on Earth
ASE SC 3-‐Physical Science: How to
conduct scientific inquiry while
understanding the physical principles
and chemistry of the natural
world
ASE SC 4-‐Environmental, Earth and
Space Science: How the atmosphere,
hydrosphere, oceans, and biosphere
work together on Earth and
other planets
Social Studies
ASE SS 1-‐US History (Colonial
Period to 1877): How to
understand, see the relevance of,
and think about the major
events in United States history
from early exploration through
Reconstruction
ASE SS 2-‐Modern US History (1877
to the Present): How to
understand, see the relevance of,
and think about the major
events in United States history
from Reconstruction through recent
events
ASE SS 3-‐Civics and Economics:
How to understand and apply
fundamental concepts in civics and
economics including personal finance
applications
ASE SS 4-‐World History: How to
understand, see the relevance of,
and think about the major
events in world history from
the mid-‐1500s through recent events
All areas of the Adult Secondary
Education Standards have checklists
that both instructors and students
can use to track their progress
of standard mastery. These
checklists appear at the end of
each of the four major
sections.
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.1
North Carolina Community College System
College and Career Readiness
Adult Secondary Education Content
Standards
Level 5, Grade Levels 9.0 –
12.9
Language Arts
Speaking and Listening -‐
1.3 ASE LA 1:
Production and Distribution of
Writing
Standards – 1.5
Instructor Checklist – 1.23
Student Checklist – 1.30 ASE
LA 2: Using Research in Writing
Endeavors
Standards – 1.9
Instructor Checklist – 1.26
Student Checklist – 1.33
ASE LA 3: Understanding and
Analyzing Literature
Standards – 1.11
Instructor Checklist – 1.27
Student Checklist – 1.34
ASE LA 4: Understanding and
Analyzing Informational Text
Standards – 1.15 Instructor
Checklist – 1.28
Student Checklist – 1.35
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.2
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.3
Adult Secondary Education Speaking and
Listening Standards
Including, but not limited to,
skills necessary for formal
presentations, the Speaking and
Listening Standards require students
to develop a range of broadly
useful oral communication and
interpersonal skills. The standards
ask students to learn to work
together, express and listen
carefully to ideas, integrate
information from oral, visual,
quantitative, and media sources,
evaluate what they hear, use
media and visual displays
strategically to help achieve
communicative purposes, and adapt
speech to context and task.
These standards should be integrated
though out Language Arts instruction.
CCR Anchor 1: Prepare for
and participate effectively in a
range of conversations and
collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively. Initiate and
participate effectively in a range
of collaborative discussions (one-‐on-‐one,
in groups, and teacher-‐led) with
diverse partners, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having
read and researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research
on the topic or issue to
stimulate a thoughtful, well-‐reasoned
exchange of ideas.
b. Work with peers to set rules
for collegial discussions and
decision-‐making (e.g., informal consensus,
taking votes on key issues,
presentation of alternate views),
clear goals and deadlines, and
individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that relate
the current discussion to broader
themes or larger ideas; actively
incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or
challenge ideas and conclusions.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and, when
warranted, qualify or justify their
own views and understanding and
make new connections in light
of the evidence and reasoning
presented. (SL.9-‐10.1)
CCR Anchor 2: Integrate and
evaluate information presented in
diverse media and formats, including
visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Integrate multiple sources of
information presented in diverse
formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) in order to
make informed decisions and solve
problems, evaluating the credibility
and accuracy of each source and
noting any discrepancies among the
data. (SL.11-‐12.2) CCR
Anchor 3: Evaluate a speaker’s
point of view, reasoning, and
use of evidence and rhetoric.
Evaluate a speaker’s point of
view, reasoning, and use of
evidence and rhetoric, assessing the
stance, premises, links among ideas,
word choice, points of emphasis,
and tone used. (SL.11-‐12.3)
CCR Anchor 4: Present information,
findings, and supporting evidence
such that listeners can follow
the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience. Present information,
findings, and supporting evidence
clearly, concisely, and logically
such that listeners can follow
the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose,
audience, and task. (SL.9-‐10.4)
CCR Anchor 5: Make strategic
use of digital media and visual
displays of data to express
information and enhance understanding
of presentations. Make strategic
use of digital media (e.g.,
textual, graphical, audio, visual,
and interactive elements) in
presentations to enhance understanding
of findings, reasoning, and evidence
and to add interest. (SL.11-‐12.5)
CCR Anchor 6: Adapt
speech to a variety of contexts
and communicative tasks, demonstrating
command of formal English when
indicated or appropriate. Adapt
speech to a variety of contexts
and tasks, demonstrating a command
of formal English when indicated
or appropriate. (SL.11-‐12.6)
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.4
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.5
ASE LA 1: Production and
Distribution of Writing LA.1.1: Write
informative/explanatory texts to examine
and convey complex ideas and
information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of
content. CCR Anchor 2
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective
selection, organization, and analysis
of content. a. Introduce a
topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information to
make important connections and
distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures,
tables), and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-‐chosen,
relevant, and sufficient facts,
extended definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and
examples appropriate to the
audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied
transitions to link the major
sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among complex ideas and
concepts.
d. Use precise language and
domain-‐specific vocabulary to manage
the complexity of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g., articulating
implications or the significance of
the topic).
Students are expected to write
informative texts that examine and
communicate complex ideas, concepts,
or information clearly and
accurately. They should effectively
select, organize, and analyze their
content. Selecting includes: • Using
relevant and sufficient facts,
definitions, details, and quotes • Using
sources that are appropriate to
task, audience, and purpose • Choosing
precise words and domain-‐
specific vocabulary Organizing includes:
• Introducing a topic • Arranging
ideas, concepts, and
information to show interrelationships •
Formatting effectively • Developing a topic
• Organizing graphics • Providing
multimedia when useful • Using
transitions to link together the
major sections of the text •
Writing a concluding statement that
supports the information presented •
Choosing a formal style and objective
tone Analyzing includes: • Deciding what
organization is most
effective for purpose, audience, and
task
• Determining how many facts,
definitions, details, quotations and
other information are needed
Writing Expository (Informative) Texts
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/02/
Examples of Informative/Explanatory
Essay
http://achievethecore.org/page/504/common-‐core-‐informative-‐explanatory-‐writing
See the grade 9-‐10 example
Gains of the Great Depression
that shows examples of each
objective
Expository Essay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_tZLtmwesU
Note: To be college-‐ and
career-‐ready writers, students must
take task, purpose, and audience
into careful consideration, choosing
words, information, structures, and
formats deliberately. These skills
work in tandem with reading
expectations-‐-‐as expressed in the
reading standards for informational
texts-‐-‐so that students are
examining authors’ craft and style
and applying what they have
observed to their own writing.
In the ninth grade as students
explore writing informational text
they need to learn how to
make deliberate choices as writers.
They need to understand that
establishing task, audience, and
purpose prior to writing will
then influence their word choice,
the supporting details they choose,
the tone they use, and the
organizational features they will
need to effectively communicate.
Ninth graders should learn how
to organize their writing. Often
students do not see the
correlation between developing a
topic and organizing a paper.
As students become more skilled
with writing informational texts,
they should pay more attention
to the words they use to
communicate ideas. They should
develop a strong formal style
appropriate for their task. They
should be able to maintain a
tone that is free of bias.
They should learn how to
integrate multimedia when appropriate
and effective.
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.6
LA.1.2: Write narratives to develop
real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique,
well-‐chosen details, and well-‐structured
event sequences. CCR Anchor 3
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Write narratives to develop real
or imagined experiences or events
using effective technique, well-‐chosen
details, and well-‐structured event
sequences. a. Engage and orient
the reader by setting
out a problem, situation, or
observation, establishing one or
multiple point(s) of view, and
introducing a narrator and/or
characters; create a smooth
progression of experiences or events.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description, reflection,
and multiple plot lines, to
develop experiences, events, and/or
characters.
c. Use a variety of techniques to
sequence events so that they
build on one another to create
a coherent whole.
d. Use precise words and phrases,
telling details, and sensory language
to convey vivid picture of the
experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved
over the course of the
narrative.
Students are expected to write
narratives – conveying an experience
that is real or imagined –
and using time as its deep
structure. The writing should have
form or structure based on a
progression of events that build
upon each other. As with all
good writing, students should select
effective details using precise
language. They should establish point
of view(s), introduce a narrator,
provide characters, and present a
situation. Students should be aware
of and apply narrative techniques
including dialogue, description, and
plot in order to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters
choosing words that create vivid
pictures. Students should provide a
conclusion to the events they
set out at the beginning of
their narrative.
Narrative Essays
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/04/
Narrative Essay Example
http://achievethecore.org/page/505/common-‐core-‐narrative-‐writing-‐list-‐pg
Scroll down to find “The
Day the Tractor Came” example
Narrative Writing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTft-‐l5LTG4
LA.1.3: Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. CCR Anchor 4
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
Students are expected to produce
writing that is clear and
understandable to the reader. Task
(type of writing assignment),
audience (the intended reader), and
purpose (the writer’s designated
reason for writing) should be
reflected in the student’s style,
organization, and development of a
topic.
Analyzing a Writing Prompt to
Determine Task, Audience, and Purpose
https://learnzillion.com/lessons/2244-‐analyze-‐a-‐writing-‐prompt-‐to-‐determine-‐the-‐task-‐purpose-‐and-‐audience
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.7
LA.1.4: Develop and strengthen writing
as needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach. CCR Anchor 5
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising,
editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach, focusing on addressing
what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.
Students should plan their writing,
develop strong revising and editing
skills, rewrite or try a
different approach always mindful of
the audience and the purpose
for the writing. They need to
determine what details or information
is most important for a
particular audience and specific
purpose. They need to understand
writing as a process rather
than solely as a product.
Writing as a process requires
thinking and being able to
articulate those thoughts.
Revising and Editing Writing Assignments
http://www.studygs.net/writing/revising.htm
How to Revise and Edit
http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-‐afterschool-‐resources/tips-‐howtos/revise-‐edit-‐30116.html
Steps for Revising Your
Paper
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/05/
LA.1.5: Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish
writing and to interact and
collaborate with others. CCR Anchor
6
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing
products, taking advantage of
technology’s capacity to link to
other information and to display
information flexibly and dynamically.
Adult education standards recognize that
students need to be able to
use technology strategically when
creating, refining, and collaborating
on writing. Students should
not only use technology for
producing and publishing writing but
also to collaborate with others.
Using Blogging and Web Tools to
Improve Writing http://ferrellmw.wix.com/abs2014
LA.1.6: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
including grammar, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when
writing. CCR Language Anchors
1 and 2.
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Demonstrate command of the conventions
of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
a. Use parallel structure. b. Use
various types of phrases (noun,
verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial,
prepositional, absolute) and clauses
(independent, dependent, noun, relative,
adverbial) to convey specific
meanings and add variety and
interest to writing or presentations.
c. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a
conjunctive adverb) to link two
or more closely related independent
clauses.
d. Use a colon to introduce a
list or quotation.
e. Spell correctly.
An understanding of language is
essential for effective communication.
The inclusion of language standards
in their own strand should not
be taken as an indication that
skills related to conventions,
knowledge of language, and vocabulary
are unimportant to reading, writing,
speaking, and listening; indeed, they
are inseparable from such contexts.
To be college and career
ready in language, students must
have a strong command of the
grammar and usage of spoken and
written standard English. Students
should be able to apply the
understanding that language is
ever-‐changing. Students need to
investigate choices in language and
usage by using reliable
Conventions of Edited American English
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/61
Sentences and Sentence Structure
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/62
Word Choice
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/66
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.8
LA.1.7: Acquire and use accurately
general academic and domain-‐specific
words and phrases at the
college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independent in gathering
vocabulary knowledge when considering
a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression. Determine
or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-‐meaning words
and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word
parts, and consulting general and
specialized reference materials, as
appropriate. CCR Language Anchor 4
and 5
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Acquire and use accurately general
academic and domain-‐specific words
and phrases at the college and
career readiness level; demonstrate
independent in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word
or phrase important to comprehension
or expression. Determine or clarify
the meaning of unknown and
multiple-‐meaning words and phrases,
choosing flexibly from a range
of strategies. a. Use context
(e.g., the overall meaning
of a sentence, paragraph, or text;
a word’s position or function
in a sentence) as a clue
to the meaning of a word
or phrase.
b. Identify and correctly use
patterns of word changes that
indicate different meanings or parts
of speech (e.g., conceive,
conception, conceivable).
c. Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print
and digital, to find the
pronunciation of a word or
determine or clarify its precise
meaning, its part of speech, or
its etymology or its standard
usage.
d. Verify the preliminary determination
of the meaning of a word
or phrase (e.g., by checking
the inferred meaning in context
or in a dictionary).
CCSS expect that students will
grow their vocabularies through a
mix of conversations, direct
instruction, and reading. Students
will determine word meanings,
appreciate the nuances of words,
and steadily expand their repertoire
of words and phrases—preparing them
for both college and 21st-‐century
careers. This will be
accomplished through use of the
following: context clues, patterns of
word changes, dictionaries and
thesauruses. Students at this level
should also be able to explain
figurative language, word relationships
and subtle differences in word
meanings. As well, students should
be able to explore the subtle
differences in words that have
similar literal meanings. Students
at this level should be
comfortable incorporating appropriate
vocabulary into their modes of
communication while showing the
ability to take the initiative
to gather vocabulary that is
necessary to understand while
reading, writing, speaking, and
listening. To be college and
career ready in language, students
must come to appreciate that
language is as much a matter
of craft as rules and be
able to choose words, syntax,
and punctuation to express themselves
and achieve particular functions and
rhetorical effects. General academic
words are more likely to appear
in written text rather than in
speech. They often represent subtle
or precise ways to say
relatively simple things‖ (saunter
instead of walk). They are
highly transferable. Domain-‐specific
words are specific to a domain
or field of study. Because of
their specificity and close ties
to content knowledge, they are
more common in informational texts.
The Ten Best Vocabulary Learning
Tips
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/vocabulary_tips.htm
Understanding Jargon
http://rpdp.net/files/ccss/ELA/ELA_9-‐10_Curr_Res/Language%209-‐10/Language%20Standard%206%20%289-‐10%29.pdf
Tips for Teaching Vocabulary
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/vocabulary-‐instruction-‐teaching-‐tips-‐rebecca-‐alber
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.9
ASE LA 2: Using Research in
Writing Endeavors
LA.2.1: Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of
substantive topics or texts, using
valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence. CCR Anchor 1
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Write arguments to support claims
in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence a. Introduce precise claim(s),
distinguish
the claim(s) from alternate or
opposing claims, and create an
organization that establishes clear
relationships among the claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims
fairly, supplying evidence for each
while pointing out the strengths
and limitations of both in a
manner that anticipates the
audience’s knowledge level and
concerns.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses
to link the major sections of
the text, create cohesion, and
clarify the relationships between
claim(s) and reasons, between reasons
and evidence, and between claim(s)
and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
The CCSS emphasize students’ ability
to produce strong arguments on
important topics or texts. Students
should write argumentative papers
that support their analysis of
a text or topic using enough
relevant evidence to legitimately
support their claim(s). Students
need to understand how much
evidence is needed to satisfactorily
support a point. Students need
to learn how to introduce their
argument(s) clearly and accurately
with regard to counterclaims.
Students should use concise and
effective language that supports the
organization of their argument.
Students should structure their
argument so that there is an
association and correlation between
the claim(s), counterclaim(s), reasons,
and evidence. As students
develop their argument, they should
treat their claims and
counter-‐claims equitably taking into
account what their audience knows
as well as what concerns they
might have. They should develop
unity and consistency in their
text with their words and
structure, paying attention to the
relationships they create between the
claims, counterclaims, evidence, and
reason. They also should maintain
an appropriate style and tone
for the task – omitting
personal bias. Students should
conclude with a statement that
supports the argument.
Using Research in Writing Packet
http://abspd.appstate.edu/ase-‐la-‐2-‐using-‐research-‐writing
Page 5: Introduce and
develop claims, writing the
conclusion Page 6: Formal style
Page 6: Transitions Page 7:
Argument writing vocabulary
Preparing for Argument Writing Using
Research in Writing packet:
http://abspd.appstate.edu/ase-‐la-‐2-‐using-‐research-‐writing
Pages 9 – 12: Techniques to
prepare students for argument writing
Organizing Argument Writing
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/03/
Establish and Maintain a Formal
Style and Objective Tone
https://learnzillion.com/lessons/2202-‐establish-‐and-‐maintain-‐a-‐formal-‐style-‐and-‐objective-‐tone
Writing a Conclusion
http://writefix.com/?page_id=1591
LA.2.2: Conduct short as well as
more sustained research projects
based on focused questions,
demonstrating understanding of the
subject under investigation. CCR
Anchor 7
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Conduct short as well as more
sustained research projects to answer
a question (including a
self-‐generated question) or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate; synthesize
multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the
subject under investigation.
In the CCSS research—both short,
focused projects (commonly required
in the workplace) and longer
term in depth research —is
emphasized throughout the standards
but most prominently in the
writing strand since a written
analysis and presentation of findings
is so often critical. Students
need to learn how to synthesize
information by combining parts from
a variety of sources into a
one unified understanding, achieving
a new insight. To accomplish
this, students need to be able
to recognize what is important
in a source, how it supports
the topic, and how it relates
to other source information.
Writing a Research Paper
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/658/
Research Paper PowerPoint
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/750/1/
How to Write a Research
Paper Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FPvQQQCUT8
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.10
LA.2.3: Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources,
assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate
the information while avoiding
plagiarism. CCR Anchor 8
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and
digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the
usefulness of each source in
answering the research question;
integrate information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow
of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and
following a standard format for
citation.
Students need to find information
that is relevant from reliable
and authoritative sources. They
should be adept at using
advance searches finding print and
digital sources that answer their
research question. Students should
know how to integrate the
information effectively, avoiding
plagiarism and using a standard
format for citation.
Better Google Searches See handout
Better Google Searches at:
http://abspd.appstate.edu/ase-‐la-‐2-‐using-‐research-‐writing
Analyzing Website Credibility
Handout Rubric for Website
Credibility at:
http://abspd.appstate.edu/ase-‐la-‐2-‐using-‐research-‐writing
Criteria to Evaluate the
Credibility of Non Web-‐based Sources
http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/eval-‐sources.htm
Avoiding Plagiarism
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/930/01/
APA Citation Style
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
LA.2.4: Draw evidence from literary
or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
CCR Anchor 9
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Apply Reading standards to literature
(e.g., ―Analyze how an author
draws on and transforms source
material in a specific work
[e.g., how Shakespeare treats a
theme or topic from Ovid or
the Bible or how a later
author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]). Apply Reading
standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g., ―Delineate and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in
a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient;
identify false statements and
fallacious reasoning).
Writing a Literary Analysis Example
https://learnzillion.com/lessonsets/639
Close Reading Informational Text See
handout Close Reading Example from:
http://abspd.appstate.edu/ase-‐la-‐2-‐using-‐research-‐writing
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Language Arts-‐1.11
ASE LA 3: Understanding and
Analyzing Literature LA.3.1: Read
closely to determine what the
text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when
writing or speaking to support
conclusions drawn from the text.
(Apply this standard to texts
of appropriate complexity as outlined
by Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 1
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn
from the text. Note: Students
are required to use textual
evidence that is convincing and
complete to support their ideas.
Citing from the text may
include a formal citation or a
verbal reference. Analysis should
include a formal citation or a
verbal reference as well as
inferred and literal meanings.
Students should be introduced to
the skill of determining the
difference between “strong evidence”
and insufficient or unreliable
details. They should understand how
much evidence is needed to
support a claim. These skills
should build as students continue
to cite evidence both formally
and informally. They should be
able to distinguish between text
that provides strong support and
text that is not related,
uncertain, or is insufficient as
evidence. Their analysis should offer
insights that show they can
derive understanding from details
that are directly stated as
well as from those that are
implied.
• Demonstrate the behaviors of a
strategic reader.
• Analyze text clues that affect
meaning. • Analyze relevant
denotative,
connotative, and figurative language.
• Analyze and evaluate available
evidence for thoroughness, completeness,
and relevance.
• Explain and analyze complexities and
ambiguities in the work of
literature.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about literature.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing literature.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Discussion Web. Students read through
an assigned text with varying
levels of independence and support.
Before the students begin reading,
they are introduced to a focus
question related to a text.
Students closely analyze the text
develop their viewpoints as to
how the text explicitly responds
to the focus question as well
as inferences which may be
drawn. Students then discuss their
views in small groups. Each
group draws a conclusion about
what the text says explicitly,
what inferences can be made and
what particular sentences, paragraphs,
or larger portions of text
support their conclusion. Source:
Alvermann, D. (1991). The discussion
web: A graphic aid for learning
across the curriculum. The Reading
Teacher, 45, 92-‐99.
LA.3.2: Determine central ideas or
themes of a text and analyze
their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas. (Apply
this standard to texts of
appropriate complexity as outlined by
Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 2
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Determine a theme or central idea
of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the
course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped
and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of
the text.
Note: Students need to examine not
only how a theme is developed
but also how details in the
story influence and mold a
theme or central idea into
being. Students will need to
use the key details of a
text to provide a summary that
is free of personal opinions or
feelings.
Students are required to recognize
complex characters and understand
their role in a text. They
need to identify the development
of complex characters, explain their
interactions with other characters,
and tell how these characters
contribute to plot or theme
development.
• Objectively summarize a text by
including the appropriate details.
• Analyze ideas, literary techniques,
and specific details in a text
that develop a theme(s) or
central idea(s).
• Analyze how multiple themes interact
in a text and explain how
they clarify and extend meaning.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about literature.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing literature.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Text Mapping. Students will fill
out a narrative text mapping
sheet which contains rising action,
setting, author's theme, opening
scene, conflict/problem, climax, falling
action and resolution and/or
character maps noting the
motivations, interactions with other
characters and how each character
influences the plot and each
other.
Thematic Journaling/Anticipation Guides.
Before beginning a text such as
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of
Wrath, students are prompted to
answer a set of statements with
which they either agree or
disagree. An Anticipation guide for
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of
Wrath might include statements such
as: 1) Money is the most
important thing in life. 2) In
times of crisis you need to
take care of yourself before
others. 3) The only people you
can truly trust in life are
your family.
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Language Arts-‐1.12
Along with recognizing complex
characters, students should be able
to identify the details that
developed characters as complex
rather than as static or flat.
They should see how the author
developed a complex character over
the course of the text,
consider how the character interacts
with others, and begin to
recognize how complex characters
propel the action in the story
or add to the development of
a theme. Students need to be
challenged to complete their analysis
with strong textual support and
deeper understanding of characterization.
4) You cannot buy happiness. 5)
The American Dream is unattainable
for most Americans. 5) If you
work hard in life, you will
be rewarded for it eventually.
Follow-‐up: What words did the
author specifically use that led
you to your conclusion. The
statements chosen should reflect one
or more of the themes within
the content of the novel. After
students complete the anticipation
guide, they choose one of the
statements and use it as a
prompt from which to free write
for 20 minutes, highlighting
thoughts, feelings, memories, and
experiences associated with their
chosen statement. This exercise
prompts students to begin
contemplating the emergent themes in
the novel before reading, and
consider their implications more
broadly. Source: Herber, H. (1978).
Teaching reading in content areas.
(2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs:
Prentice-‐Hall. Tracking Theme:
Students return to these statements
in the anticipation guide at
various times throughout the novel
in order to track how the
theme develops and is refined
by details from the text. When
writing, students update their
responses by citing evidence from
the text that may have changed
their view of the theme since
the beginning of the novel.
LA.3.3: Interpret words and phrases
as they are used in a
text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings,
and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
(Apply this standard to texts
of appropriate complexity as outlined
by Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 4
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in
a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings;
analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning
and tone (e.g., how the
language of a court opinion
differs from that of a
newspaper). Note: After
determining the figurative and
connotative meanings of words,
students need to consider the
significant influence of the author’s
word choice as a whole on
the text’s tone or overall
understanding.
• Analyze the meaning, use, and
effect of word connotations,
colloquialisms, idioms, and figurative
language.
• Analyze and explain how an
author uses techniques to establish
and maintain a specific literary
style and tone.
• Analyze and explain the cumulative
impact of an author’s deliberate
manipulation of language (word
choice, diction, structure) on
meaning, imagery, mood, and tone.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about literature.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing literature.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Diction/Dialect. Students begin the
activity by sharing and discussing
examples of different types of
dialect from varying regions,
countries or time periods. The
discussion is guided toward readings
or writings written in dialect
(e.g., John Steinbeck’s The Grapes
of Wrath). The discussion is
driven by guiding questions such
as; • What can you tell about
the narrator by
the way he or she speaks? •
Where is the narrator from? • Is
the narrator educated or
uneducated? • How old is the
narrator? • What is the narrator’s
race? How can
you tell what his/her race is?
Students continue to elaborate on
what led them to their
conclusions. Literature Circles:
Students are grouped into small
literature circles. Each circle
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Language Arts-‐1.13
selects a writer and a speaker
to present the main points of
their discussion to the class.
The groups are given 5 minutes
to construct a definition for
the term “Dialect”. After group
definitions are shared orally with
the class, a timed literature
circle discussion begins using
guiding questions such as: • Why
did the author choose to
include
lines in dialect? • In what type
of dialect is it written? • How
does dialect help/hinder your
understanding of the characters? • What,
if anything, does dialect (or
lack
thereof) reveal about the characters?
Source: Morretta, T.M., &
Ambrosini, M. (2000). Experiencing
and responding to literature.
Practical approaches for teaching
reading and writing in middle
schools. (pp. 18–39). Newark, DE:
International Reading Association.
LA.3.4: Assess how point of view
or purpose shapes the content
and style of a text.
(Apply this standard to texts
of appropriate complexity as outlined
by Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 6
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Analyze a case in which grasping
point of view requires distinguishing
what is directly stated in a
text from what is really meant
(e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or
understatement). Application: Analyze
a particular point of view or
cultural experience reflected in a
work of literature from outside
the United States, drawing on a
wide reading of world literature.
• Identify and explain an author’s
point of view or purpose in
an informational text.
• Demonstrate understanding of rhetorical
appeals.
• Analyze and explain the author’s
use of rhetoric and its
contribution to meaning, point of
view, and/or purpose of the
text.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Making Connections to Global Literature.
The following strategy represents a
three-‐fold approach to making
connections with literature from
outside of the United States.
Self-‐to-‐Text. This approach requires
students to relate their own
experiences, ideas, and background
knowledge to the text at hand.
Students compare their own cultural
and individual background with that
of one or more of the
characters in the text. Students
can use a self-‐to-‐text table
to compare/contrast their experiences
to those of the character.
Learning scaffolds can be utilized
by posing questions that lie at
the heart of the text (e.g.,
the question “Who am I?” is
a common thematic question in
many coming-‐of-‐age tales). Students
reflect on their own responses
to these questions as characters
in the text do the same.
Text-‐to-‐Text. Students conduct a
comparison and synthesis of ideas
between texts carrying similar or
antagonistic themes, questions, or
issues (e.g., students synthesize the
varying approach to indigenous
peoples as “primitive” through the
text “Things Fall Apart,” by
Chinua Achebe and Joseph Conrad’s
Heart of Darkness). Text-‐to-‐World.
Students connect the text
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Language Arts-‐1.14
to world/current issues. In the
example of Things Fall Apart
students draw on historical or
current issues that relate to
the European Colonization of much
of Africa’s indigenous regions.
Students incorporate issues of how
globalization is increasingly re-‐defining
what it means to be a
member of an “indigenous” culture.
Students will connect the text
to a contemporary issue such as
this, and reflect on its
broader implications by written and
artistic expression. Source: Keene,
E. O., & Zimmerman, S.
(1997). Mosaic of thought teaching
comprehension in a reader’s workshop.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
LA.3.5: Read and comprehend complex
literature independently and proficiently.
CCR Anchor 10
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Read and comprehend literature at
this text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of
the range. Note: • By
the end of grade 9, read
and
comprehend literature in the grades
9– 10 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of
the range.
• By the end of grade 10,
read and comprehend literature at
the high end of the grades
9– 10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
• By the end of grade 11,
read and comprehend literature in
the grades 11– CCR text
complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
• By the end of grade 12,
read and comprehend literature at
the high end of the grades
11– CCR text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
• Demonstrate understanding of a wide
range of sufficiently complex
literary nonfiction.
• Comprehend texts of steadily
increasing complexity, with scaffolding
as needed.
• As an emerging adult reader, set
personal reading goals to self
select and explore texts of
different disciplines and increasing
complexity.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Measuring Text Complexity according to
grade-‐bands: The Text Complexity
Grade Bands are organized in a
progressive fashion, and as such,
teachers from different grade levels
will need to coordinate and
discuss whether their standard ten
asks them to introduce a new
level of text complexity via
scaffolding, or promote proficiency
and independence within the same
grade band. The following chart
shows the progressions for standard
ten at each grade level. Three
Measures for Text Complexity: When
deciding which grade band a
text aligns to, the teacher
should consider all three measures
for text complexity, and make a
decision based the textual factors
that correspond to each. 1)
Quantitative Measures 2) Qualitative
Measures 3) Reader and Task
Considerations
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Language Arts-‐1.15
ASE LA 4: Understanding and
Analyzing Informational Texts LA.4.1:
Read closely to determine what
the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when
writing or speaking to support
conclusions drawn from the text.
(Apply this standard to texts
of appropriate complexity as outlined
by Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 1
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn
from the text. Reading
Historical/Social Studies Text Application:
Cite specific textual evidence to
support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such
features as the date and origin
of the information. Reading
Scientific and Technical Text
Application: Cite specific textual
evidence to support analysis of
science and technical texts,
attending to the precise details
of explanations or descriptions.
• Demonstrate the behaviors of a
strategic reader.
• Analyze text clues that affect
meaning. • Analyze relevant
denotative,
connotative, and figurative language.
• Evaluate available evidence for
thoroughness, completeness, and relevance.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Close Read. Students conduct a
close read of a text such
as Patrick Henry’s “Speech to
the Second Virginal Convention. After
reading the text each student
makes a “Citation Table” that
contains two columns: Specific Phrase
or Sentence and Specific Purpose
for recording data as they
conduct a second read. Within
the table, students write specific
phrases or sentences from the
text and articulate the significance
of each. The strategy is
modeled prior to beginning the
exercise and students are able
to “read like a detective” to
determine the specific message the
author is trying to convey.
This activity could also be
used to conduct a close read
of Margaret Chase Smith’s “Remarks
to the Senate in Support of
a Declaration of Conscience” or
any other text with a level
of complexity aligned to this
grade band. Comparison and
Synthesis of Ideas (CSI). After
closely analyzing separate texts,
students compare and contrast ideas
from each; being certain to
cite the specific words each
author used. This strategy can
also be used to help students
recognize thematic content that is
common to both texts. Students
should be able to generate both
differences and similarities among
texts, as well as synthesize
the information that each text
shares. Statement Starter: Present
a statement to the class such
as: “Ladies and gentlemen, Patrick
Henry was a pacifist!” or
“Margaret Chase Smith believes people
should have the right to
criticize.” Students then work
collaboratively with their partner to
generate a cited summary in
agreement with or dispute of
the statement starter. As students
write, they use the following
questions to guide their responses:
(1) Are we interpreting the
text correctly? (2) Are we
citing specific language from the
text? (3) Is our evidence
convincing? Continual objective feedback
is evident throughout the exercise
which utilizes both discussion and
diagnostic questioning techniques.
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Language Arts-‐1.16
LA.4.2: Determine central ideas or
themes of a text and analyze
their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas. (Apply
this standard to texts of
appropriate complexity as outlined by
Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 2
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Determine a theme or central idea
of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the
course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped
and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of
the text. Reading Scientific
and Technical Text Application:
Determine the central ideas or
conclusions of a text; summarize
complex concepts, processes, or
information presented in a text
by paraphrasing them in simpler
but still accurate terms.
• Objectively summarize a text by
including the appropriate key ideas,
issues, and specific details.
• Analyze ideas, issues, rhetoric
devices, and specific details in
a text that develop the central
idea and/or claim.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Magnet Summary. Students conduct a
close read of a short text
such as Anna Quindlen’s “A
Quilt of a Country” or Learned
Hand’s “I am an American Day
Address.” While reading, they
identify the specific words or
phrases (magnets) that drive the
text. Students record each magnet
on a separate index card and
list with them specific supporting
words or phrases used by the
author to anchor the magnet
firmly within the text.
One Sentence Summations. Randomly
selected members of the class
read a selection of the text
aloud. Student facilitators lead the
class in a brief whole group
discussion of the section, resulting
in a short list of significant
ideas conveyed by the author.
The student facilitators are then
given a short amount of time
to quickly transform the list
of ideas into an objective, one
sentence summary which includes the
proper use of a colon or
semicolon thus modeling the activity.
The remaining text is divided
into sections and students repeat
the process independently.
LA.4.3: Analyze how and why
individuals, events, and ideas
develop and interact over the
course of a text. (Apply
this standard to texts of
appropriate complexity as outlined by
Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 3
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Analyze a complex set of ideas
or sequence of events and
explain how specific individuals,
ideas, or events interact and
develop over the course of the
text. Reading Historical/Social
Studies Text Application: Analyze in
detail a series of events
described in a text; determine
whether earlier events caused later
ones or simply preceded them.
Reading Scientific and Technical Text
Application: Follow precisely a
complex multistep procedure when
carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical
tasks, attending to special cases
or exceptions defined in the
text.
• Analyze and explain the structure
of the text and how it
contributes to meaning and/or
purpose.
• Analyze and explain the impact
of events and individuals in
the texts.
• Analyze, explain, and evaluate the
author’s development of complex
ideas, concepts, events, and
individuals within informational texts.
• Analyze and explain the
interrelation-‐ship among complex ideas,
concepts, individuals, and sequence
of events within informational texts.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Utilizing Abraham Lincoln’s “Second
Inaugural Address” students conduct
an analysis of the ideas that
led to the Civil War, as
outlined by the text. Students
can conduct a similar analysis
& connection of Martin Luther
King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
or similar texts with an
appropriate level of complexity for
this grade band. Students adhere
to the following guiding questions
as they investigate the text:
(1) In what order are the
points made?, (2) How are the
points introduced and developed? and
(3) How does the author
skillfully connect the various
points?
Analysis and Connection: While reading
the text independently or in
small groups, students begin their
investigation by documenting the
order in which the points are
made. It may be helpful for
students to use graphic organizers
such as Semantic Maps to
illustrate how an author introduces
a point, how he/she develops
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Language Arts-‐1.17
the point and how the point
itself is finally stated or
Venn Diagrams to illustrate the
similarities and differences between
various points.
Close Read. Utilizing a text such
as Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Society
and Solitude”, students conduct an
analysis of Emerson’s points
regarding solitude and its
relationship to society as a
whole. Students adhere to the
following guiding questions as they
investigate the text: (1) In
what order are the points made?
(2) How are the points
introduced and developed? (3) How
does the author skillfully connect
the various points? (4) How
does the author summarize his
point in the conclusion?
LA.4.4: Interpret words and phrases
as they are used in a
text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings,
and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
(Apply this standard to texts
of appropriate complexity as outlined
by Standard 10.) CCR Anchor 4
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in
a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings;
analyze the cumulative impact of
specific word choices on meaning
and tone (e.g., how the
language of a court opinion
differs from that of a
newspaper). Reading Scientific
and Technical Text Application:
Determine the meaning of symbols,
key terms, and other domain-‐specific
words and phrases as they are
used in a specific scientific
or technical context.
• Analyze the meaning, use, and
effect of word connotations, multiple
meanings, and technical vocabulary.
• Analyze the meanings of
colloquialisms, idioms, figurative
language, and other words and
phrases as they are used in
context and influence text meaning
and tone.
• Analyze and explain the cumulative
impact of the author’s manipulation
of language (syntax, diction) on
meaning and tone.
• Compare and contrast the syntax
and tone of informational texts
written for differing audiences and
purposes.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Students record key words from the
text and provide the following
for each word (1) a contextual
clue, (2) explanation and (3)
meaning.
Written Comparison and Synthesis of
Ideas. Students conduct a close
read of texts such as Martin
Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham
Jail” and Elie Wiesel’s “Hope,
Despair and Memory.” Words, phrases,
and sentences that significantly
shape the meaning and tone of
each text are highlighted as
they read. Without the aid of
classroom discussion, students
independently proceed to complete a
written comparison and synthesis of
ideas between the two pieces of
text. Students portray a clear
analysis of how the texts are
similar and how they differ in
terms of meaning and tone.
Students work individually or in
pairs utilizing a variety of
resources to define selected words
as well as compare and contrast
specific language from within the
text. They make a “Meaning and
Tone Table” with the following
headings: (1) Specific Sentence from
Text, (2) My Sentence (underline
the word(s), clause(s), and/or
phrase(s) altered), and (3) How
do the changes alter the
meanings or tone of the text.
Students can use their tables
to create word/phrase/ sentence
alternatives to display an
understanding of the cumulative
impact word choice has on
meaning or tone.
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.18
LA.4.5: Analyze the structure of
texts, including how specific
sentences, paragraphs, and larger
portions of the text (e.g., a
section, chapter, scene, or stanza)
relate to each other and the
whole. (Apply this standard to
texts of appropriate complexity as
outlined by Standard 10.) CCR
Anchor 5
Objectives What Learner Should Know,
Understand, and Be Able to Do
Teaching Notes and Examples
Analyze in detail how an author’s
ideas or claims are developed
and refined by particular sentences,
paragraphs, or larger portions of
a text (e.g., a section or
chapter). Analyze and
evaluate the effectiveness of the
structure an author uses in his
or her exposition or argument,
including whether the structure makes
points clear, convincing, and
engaging.
• Analyze and evaluate the effect
of the structural characteristics on
meaning and/or purpose in an
informational text.
• Describe the structure of an
argument; identify its claims and
evidence; and evaluate connections
among evidence, inferences, and
claims.
• Analyze and explain how an
author deliberately manipulates language
and text structures to develop
and refine ideas or claims.
• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness
of an author’s organization,
structure, and syntax as they
contribute to a text’s overall
meaning, purpose, and effect.
• Participate actively and appropriately
in discussions about informational
text.
• Interpret, explain, and apply
appropriate academic and/or
domain-‐specific vocabulary when responding
and discussing informational text.
• Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when speaking and
writing.
Close Read. Students read an
appropriately complex text with
varying levels of independence and
support. Expectations are such that
lower level students receive more
support as they stretch their
literacy levels toward independent
reading and analysis of complex
texts. As students finish reading
they are introduced to a focus
question related to a text.
Students return to the text for
further study. Through text analysis,
students develop viewpoints as to
how the text explicitly responds
to the focus question as well
as inferences which may be
drawn. Students form groups to
discuss the focus question, discuss
the text analysis and complete
a discussion web. Each group
draws a conclusion about what
the text says explicitly, what
inferences can be made and what
particular sentences, paragraphs, or
larger portions of text support
their conclusion. Online Discussion
Forum. Students utilize an online
discussion forum to engage in
the discussion web. For example,
a blog is created for an
assigned text. Student “blog
facilitators” post specific sentences,
paragraphs, or larger portions of
text within the blog and the
remaining students add comments to
each post as a way to
engage in an online text
analysis. Evaluating an Argument:
Students read through an excerpt
of a text such as H.L.
Mencken’s, The American Language, 4th
edition. They proceed to analyze
the way the author structures
his central idea/thesis statement,
and its supporting points. Students
use an Argumentative essay visual
organizer to promote a clearer
understanding of how the author
chooses to structure his argument.
Students can use this process
of analysis to later inform and
structure their own argumentative
writing pieces.
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Updated: September 2014
Language Arts-‐1.19
LA.4.6: Assess how point of